Introduction to Human Occupation: Contemporary Concepts and Lifespan Perspectives

This chapter introduces the overall structure and intent of the current edited book on human occupation. It provides a brief overview of the realm of human occupation, internal and external factors that impact human occupation, and the relationship between the disciplines of occupational therapy and occupational science. The Wheel of Power and Privilege graphic and the Coin Model of Privilege and Critical Allyship are mentioned to contextualize the types of inequalities that can exist in the daily lives of clients and families with whom therapists interact. The Decolonising the Curriculum Wheel – a Reflection Framework is presented as one way that occupational therapy educators and students can decolonize curriculum using a collaborative codesign process. In addition, this chapter provides an overview of the chapter structure of the edited book as well as summaries of the two overarching frameworks that influence how human occupations are viewed and considered: those frameworks being the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) and the main components of the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework – 4th edition (OTPF-4). The chapter ends with individual positionality and reflexivity statements from each of the seven co-editors.